Gospel Holiness, Part 1 · Sermon 5
SERMON 5.
Iſaiah 6. 5. For mine eyes have ſeen the King, the Lord of Hoſts.
THe laſt leſſon or doctrine that we were upon from theſe words was this, that
A ſaving ſight of God in Chriſt is the right, and ready way to true Goſpell humiliation.
Woe is me for I am undone, becauſe I have ſeene the King, the Lord of Hoſts.
Firſt, I ſhewed you, that,
Every true Saint hath a peculiar ſight of God.
That was neceſſary to make way for this; that every ſuch peculiar ſight, is the meanes, or way to true Goſpell humiliation.
I proved it, and gave you the Reaſons, and made ſome ſhort Uſe of it.
The next Uſe that I ſhall open to you, which is Ʋſe 2. Tryall if we have ſeen God a…ight.the maine, ſhall be to ſhew you a way how you may know whether ever you have thus ſeene God, it is an ordinary phraſe in John his Epiſtles, ſuch a man hath not ſeene God, He that hates his Brother, hath not ſeene God. And the ſeeing of God, even in this world, is the glorious priviledge that the Saints have. Men uſually ſay that the Saints have every thing here, that they ſhall have in Heaven, but only the beatificall viſion; but truly they have here the beatificall viſion; they doe ſee God as truly, though not ſo fully, as they ſhall in Heaven. Therefore you may know whether you be of thoſe that have this great priviledge, that you have ſeen God; if you have, you are truly humbled; that will follow: for, the right ſight of God makes a man By our humiliation.cry out, VVoe is me for I am undone.
Now the queſtion will be, whether this grace be wrought in our hearts, in yours, and mine; whether we be rightly humbled.
And that you may know by two ways, in generall.
The one by your carriage towards God.True humiliation may be knowne.
The other by your carriage to your Brethren.
You may know it by your carriage to God in theſe five things.
Firſt, in reſpect of Gods juſtifying grace.
Secondly, in reſpect of his truths that are made By our carriage to God.knowne to you.
Thirdly, in reſpect of his commandements, that are laid upon you.
Fourthly, in reſpect of his corrections.
Fifthly, In reſpect of his mercies.
Now to open theſe to you. I ſay that every Saint that is truly humbled. By humiliation I told you, I meane not a preparatorie humiliation, as ſome In our Juſtification.of our Divines ſay; or an after humiliation: but the grace of humiliation that is alway in every Saint, and that grows more and more as other graces; as meekneſſe, and joy, and love, and goodneſſe, and the like; now to know whether you be thus humbled.
The firſt queſtion will be, whether ever God hath brought thee to ſubmit, to the righteouſneſſe of 1. By ſubmitting to the righteouſnes of Chriſt.Chriſt, for juſtification?
That is the firſt, and the chiefeſt thing, as it is in Rom. 10. 3. They being ignorant of Gods righteouſnes, and going about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſnes, they have not ſubmitted to the righteouſneſſe of God. Now whether hath the Lord ever brought thee to a full deſpaire, of ever being juſtified in the ſight of God, or of getting any favor from him, or of ſalvation by any good that is in thee, or hath been done by thee; or any hope that thou ſhalt have any good or doe any good. I ſay that if thou be truly humbled, thou art brought to that. And I ſay, this is the firſt, and chiefeſt thing. Becauſe that a man is more prone to his own righteouſneſſe (ſuch as it is) then to his ſin, & a man ſticks cloſer to his owne righteouſnes then to his ſin, for it is an eaſier thing to bring twenty men from their ſins, then one man from his righteouſneſſe.Why man is naturally prone to cleave to his owne righteouſneſſe. Simile.
The ground is this: becauſe it is that liquor, that was firſt put into us; the liquor that is put into a veſſell firſt, that ſticks longer, and hath a deeper impreſſion, and keeps the taſt longer, if it be Vinegar, or VVine, or any thing that is put in a new barrell.
Now God made us firſt righteous; afterwards we ſought out many inventions, after we fell: therefore it is more naturall to us, to be righteous in ſome faſhion, with ſome faſhioned righteouſneſſe ſuch as it is, then to be ſinfull. And a man ſticks cloſer to his righteouſneſſe, and is more troubled with it, and more endangered by it a thouſand fold, then by his ſinns. For truly, ſinne is nothing but a feaveriſh diſtemper in a man, he is many times Sin what.drawn to drunkenneſſe, and to whoredome: but take a carnall man, when he is beſt his owne man, he approoves righteouſneſſe better then ſinne: ſo that we may ſee, it is righteouſneſſe he aimes at, and he will commend a Preacher that would have him leave ſinne, rather then one that will help him on in it: ſo that its a principle more rooted in mans heart to be righteous, then to be ſinfull: but it is not the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, remember that; it is but that a man would get up; he would repaire that ſhattered, and torne righteouſneſſe, that once was in him by Adam, that a man is more prone to: though by ſinne, by a feaveriſh diſtemper, he is oft carried from that; but none are ſo farre carried, but he followes it in ſome meaſure, and in a great meaſure.
Now the queſtion is, whether the Lord hath wholly brought thee from that righteouſneſſe to ſubmit To be content with the righteouſnes of another.wholly to the righteouſneſſe of another. That is the firſt expreſſion, whereby I ſhall demonſtrate it; Whether a man be brought wholly from his owne righteouſneſſe, to ſubmit wholly to the righteouſneſſe of another; that is, to the righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt now in Heaven. If thou art come to this, then thou art an humbled man. For, it is a great point of humilitie for at man to ſtoop to another; ro be beholding to another for a thing, when he thinks that he hath one that is good of his owne: Now for me to leave my owne righteouſneſſe, and to goe and ſeeke a righteouſneſſe only in Jeſus Chriſt, and to walke in that all the dayes of my life, and to live upon that righteouſneſſe, this ſhews that a man hath a humble heart; let the world ſay what it will, here is the maine point of humiliation in this world. It is not whining, and crying, and howling, wicked men, and proud men may doe this, and be roaring, and damning themſelves, and the like, the Devill may doe ſo, that hath no true humiliation.
But here is true humiliation, for a man to deny his owne righteouſneſſe, and to embrace humbly the righteouſneſſe that is in Jeſus Chriſt; I ſay to be content wholly, and fully with it.
That as one godlie man ſaith, God at the firſt put a great ſtock of righteouſneſſe in Adams hand to Simile.trade with; he made him a righteous man, and when Adam fell, God tooke away his ſtock, and God ſaid he ſhould never trade, and ſet up ſhop more. God had a way indeed to doe him good, but he ſhould never ſet up ſhop againe. We would ſet up ſhop, and trade as Adam did: there is no man in the world though his righteouſneſſe be never ſo little, but he would rather goe with that portion, of a righteouſneſſe of his owne, then ſubmit to the glorious righteouſneſſe of the Lord Jeſus.
Therefore I ſay, this is it, whether the Lord hath brought thy Spirit to be humble, that thou art content to be a foole while thou liveſt, and to let Chriſt be wiſedome in thee; that thou wouldeſt be a poore infirme fraile creature, and let Chriſt Jeſus be thy righteouſneſſe; that thou art content to walke in raggs, and let Chriſt be thy riches. This is one thing.
In that place, Rom. 10. 3. It was the pride of the Jews that kept them from ſalvation by the righteouſneſſe of the Goſpell; they would not ſubmit to the righteouſneſſe of God; they were a proud people. So that is it that keeps many a ſoule that hears the word; it is that that keepes you weake, What it is that keepes men in inward trouble.and full of woe, and ſorrow all your dayes. You thinke it is the want of this grace, and the want of that grace, and other things; but it is nothing but your owne ſtubborne heart, that you will not ſubmit to the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt: You would have this grace, and that grace; that is, you would fill up every corner of your owne ſhop, and you would amend your owne trading, but you would not ſhut up ſhop, and be journey-men (as I may ſpeake with reverence) to Jeſus Chriſt. That is one thing.
Then againe, the ſecond particular I have to demonſtrate; 2. To take the righteouſnes of Chriſt on his bare word.that whether you be humbled or no, is this, whether the Lord have brought you to be content to take the righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt upon his owne bare, and naked word? Whether now you can ſay, there is Jeſus Chriſt, full of righteouſneſſe for me, and my own righteouſneſſe is full of raggs.
What evidence have you for it?
Here is a word, Jeſus Chriſt is come to dye for ſinners, I find nothing in me, but here is a bare word; and hereupon I am content to take his righteouſneſſe, and throw away mine owne.
I doe not ſay, but that a good Chriſtian may Chriſtians may make uſe of ſignes.make good uſe of ſignes, and marks, even in earthly things; Chriſtians ſee the love of God by temporall, outward things: for God uſeth what Pipes he pleaſeth to convey his love.
But the queſtion is in matter of believing, whether I ſhould not throw away my owne righteouſneſſe, and wholly believe in Jeſus Chriſts righteouſneſſe, before I ſee any grace; or any ſigne?
A humble heart can doe it, and is content that marks ſhould come after he believes; after I believe God will ſanctifie me, and worke grace, and then I ſhall ſee his love more. But the firſt bargain betweene God, and me, is his bare word: therefore that Rom. 10. is glorious, and cleare, and comfortable. The Apoſtle lays downe the difference betweene ſalvation by the Law, and by faith; ſaith he, the Righteouſneſſe of the Law, ſpeaketh on this wiſe. The man that doth theſe things, ſhall live by them: but the righteouſneſſe which is of Faith, ſpeaketh on this wiſe; ſay not in thy heart, who ſhall aſcend into Heaven, or who ſhall deſcend into the Deepe; but he that believeth ſhall be ſaved. Marke it, this is the ſtraine, and ſtreame, and language of the Goſpell; that is, ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt; and whoſoever believeth on that ſalvation, ſhall not be aſhamed; he ſhall be ſure of it.
But how ſhall we come to believe, and to be ſure of this ſalvation? Say not in thy heart, who ſhall goe up to heaven, or who ſhall deſcend into the deep: but what ſaith it? the word is nigh thee; that is God hath given a word, and he will give a ſpirit of faith with it; and there are but two words to the bargaine, there is the ſpirit in thee, and the word without thee: and this is the righteouſneſſe of God; the righteouſneſſe of faith ſaith ſo. Say not who ſhall goe up to heaven, or downe to the earth: For, the eyes of a fool are ſcattered about the world. And when men come to believe in Chriſt, they aske, who ſhall aſcend into Heaven? how ſhall I come to know that I am a Saint, and that I am predeſtinated? The Lord would have us believe the word, that Chriſt Jeſus came to ſave ſinners, of whom I am chiefe. Here is a word, if the heart now could apply this by the ſpirit of faith. That is another thing, I would have you thinke on.
Your ordinary Profeſſors moſt of them, they Why ordinary profeſſors want aſſurance.have not aſſurance of ſalvation, why? They cannot believe. Why ſo? becauſe they finde ſo many corruptions in them, and they finde ſo many graces wanting, and they have ill memories, and hard hearts, and if it were not for theſe things, they could believe. What is the meaning of it? It is as if they ſhould ſay, I will never truſt God in the righteouſneſſe of the Goſpell, upon his bare word.
God will have us truſt him, ere he will truſt us; we muſt take God upon his word, God wil bring every child of his to this, to take his ſalvation upon a bare word, and he will bleſſe his name for it; I have but one ſoule, and if I had a thouſand, I would venture them all upon his word, and ſay there my ſoule lyes, ſinck, or ſwim, or goe to heaven, or hell, here is the word, that Chriſt came to ſave ſinners, of whom I am chiefe. Now, if there be pride in the heart, it will not come, and reſt on a bare word. The Lord make you underſtand theſe things that they may not be loſt.
Thirdly, a humble heart, will be content not only 3. With a generall word.with a bare word, but with the leaſt word, and the moſt generall word.
A proud heart will not be content unleſſe he hath a perticular word. For my part, I may miſtake, but I will tell you my opinion; that thoſe men (how Chriſt dyed not for all.ever otherwiſe they be godly, ſome of them) that doe hold that Chriſt did dye for all men, and that he came to ſave Judas, as well as Peter.
If Chriſt came to ſave all, and yet many ſhall goe to Hell, how come they to be ſaved?
It is a proud thought in the heart that would teach God how to ſpeake, and how to make promiſes, and we poore wretched, damnable creatures, muſt ſhew him what language he ſhall ſpeake in: whereas now, a humble heart will take the leaſt, and moſt generall word, and thanke God: as we ſee in the woman of Canaan, Chriſt gives her never a word a great while, but frownes; and then he gives her a terrible word, and bids her goe, he calls her Dogg; why, that was ſomething; a Dogg hath ſome priviledge; he hath the crums that fall from the Table, he looks for outward mercies; and therefore in that he calls me Dogg, I have ſo much of that word that I will follow him for the crums. Saith Chriſt to her, O Woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee as thou wilt. So Benhadads ſervants, when they came with Halters about their necks: ſaith the King, Is my brother Benhadad alive? that was a comfortable word, they harpt upon, and catcht at that; Thy brother Benhadad is alive: So, we come with Ropes about our necks, poore damned creatures, and God comes in infinite wiſedome, and makes promiſes, and a humble heart will take them, and bleſſe God for any promiſe, be it never ſo generall, and not ſtand ſo nicely, as proud people doe. This ſhews a humble heart; therefore examine if this be ſo with thee.
Fourthlie, a humble heart in matter of juſtification, it appeares by this; that as it is content to have a righteouſneſſe in another.4. To renounce our owne righteouſnes.
And ſecondly, to hold it upon a bare word. If God give more, he will take it, if not, he will hold it upon his bare word.
And thirdly, he will take the moſt generall word.
So fourthly, he will wholly renounce, and throw away his owne righteouſneſſe, and as Paul did, call it du…g, and dogs meat, So I may be found (ſaith he) in Jeſus Chriſt. Now a proud heare, would have Jeſus Chriſt only to ſ…der his owne righteouſneſſe, and Jeſus Chriſts together; he would have Chriſt only to make up a little, what is lacking in him; to make out what is wanting.
There are many men that goe a great way in the pofeſsion of religion; but being pretty honeſt, civil men before, they will never be brought to renounce their owne righteouſneſſe. Now Jeſus Chriſt will never mend the heart by patching it, but either he will make it wholly new, or the Devill ſhall have all; he will have the heart to have his righteouſneſſe wholly, or none at all: now a man muſt throw away all, there muſt be nothing kept, as in the practiſe of Saul, there muſt be no buts: for men to ſay but we have ſome good things; and it is great pitty to throw away all, What, all my prayers, and all my humiliations, and all my faſtings? all good for nothing, to make dung, and dogs meat? I, Paul ſpeaks as if his righteouſneſſe, had been a chaine, and a burthen.
Laſtly, a humble heart, a humble man, or woman 5. Notwithſtanding our ſins, and want of preparation.will do all this, and he will doe it, let his ſinfulneſſe be never ſo great, or let his preparations be never ſo little.
There is a great deale of pride in mens hearts, they will not receive grace, and ſalvation of God, becauſe of the greatneſſe of their ſins. There is no man that talks of the greatneſſe of his ſinns, with a ſpirit of unbeliefe, but it proceeds from pride. When a man talks of his great ſinns, and therefore he is afraid to believe; that is from pride: for the greater a mans ſins are, the ſooner he would believe, if he had a humble heart. Depart from me Lord (ſaith Peter) for I am a ſinfull man. He had more need to have ſaid come to me Lord, for I am a ſinfull man.
And then if his preparations be never ſo little. Men thinke that they could believe, if they were qualified, and had ſuch preparations. It is as if they ſhould ſay, I will get ſo much, and then I ſhould be but a little beholding to Chriſt, halfe the worke is done. There muſt be no ſtay for want of preparation, when the Lord calls; when the Lord offers Chriſt, well, that is one thing that you may trye your humiliation by; your carriage towards God, in reſpect of his juſtifying grace, or the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt that juſtifies, or Gods righteouſnes which is the object of juſtification; and that you ſee in thoſe five things.
The ſecond thing is this, you may trie if your 2 By our carriage to God in his truths revealed.hearts be humbled; if you conſider your carriage towards God, in reſpect of his will, or in reſpect of his truths, that he manifeſts to you, from time to time. For, here is the difference, a humble heart will ſubmit to every truth of Chriſt, as farre as it is revealed. Therefore it is ſaid, Rom. 8. 6. The carnall minde is enmity againſt God, for, it is not ſubject to the law of God, nor can be. A carnall mind, is enmity againſt God; It is not only an enemy, but enmity it ſelfe. And he doth not only ſay it will not, but it cannot be ſubject to the Law, that is, to the will of God.
Beloved a proud heart, or a heart that is not Proud carnall men.humbled, it will not ſubmit to the Truth of God: but, it will alway doe one of theſe three things.
The firſt is this; he is not willing to know all the 1. Are not willing to know all the truths of God.truths of God: he is not willing to know them: for hee knowes if hee doe know them, hee muſt doe them. Hee thinkes it ſafer to bee ignorant of the truth, then obey the truth, and ſome have been ready to ſay, if I know the will of God I muſt doe it.
But here is the queſtion, whether thou be willing to know the will of God?
A man that is not truly humbled, alwayes when he heares ſpirituall truths, that come to rule him, he wiſheth (as a godly man ſaith) that either the miniſter were dumb, or that he were deafe: for it is a burthen to him. He is like thoſe People in Iſay 30. 10. The rebellious People, that Iſaiah was troubled with. This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not heare the Law of the Lord. Which ſay to the ſeers, ſee not; and to the Prophets propheſie not unto us right things, ſpeak unto us ſmooth things; propheſie deceits. This was and is the language of the hearts of carnall Chriſtians: they ſay to the ſeers ſee not. They wiſh that the Preachers could not finde out thoſe truths that are ſo contrarie to nature, and that croſſe their corruptions, & they wiſh that Preachers would take other texts and handle other Doctrines that were more pleaſing, and ſmooth, as Job ſayth, Job 21. They proſper and their children dance, and there is the timbrell and the harpe; and they ſay to God, depart from us: for we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes. We are not enemies to it, we doe not fight againſt it; we allow Preachers to be there, but truely we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes, this is the language of a proud heart.
Now is there in you ſuch a heart, that though Saints willing to know all Gods truths.you know that you ſhall be ſaved, and goe to Heaeven (as an honeſt man once ſaid) yet have you a deſire to know every truth, though you ſuffer never ſo much perſecution for it? There is a humble heart. It is ſo, and it will be ſo, as we ſee in that bleſſed man Eli 1 Sam. 3. 17. you know what a bleſſed humble man he was; and when there was a Viſion that Samuell ſaw, that was for his ruine, and the ruin of his Houſe; and the Lord had called Samuell, and ſhewed him the Viſion, Eli calls him and ſaid, VVhat is the thing the Lord hath ſaid; I pray thee hide it not from me. Samuell was not willing to tell him, being but a child; he knew by his countenance it was not good tydings, yet ſaith he, I pray thee hide not from me, what God hath told thee; God doe ſo to thee, and more alſo, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he ſaid unto thee. O Bleſſed man; he was willing to know it, though it were a ſore meſſage, that the Lord would take away the Preiſthood, and he ſhould breake his neck; and his Sons ſhould be ſlaine in the Warrs. So Cornelius Act. 10. 33. When Peter came to preach, Wee are here all in the preſence of God, to heare all things, that ſhall be commanded us of God. We are not here, that we may pleaſe our owne humours, and ſuit our owne luſts; but to heare all, let it be rough, or ſmooth; with us, or againſt us, we are here, to heare all that the Lord will ſay. Canſt thou ſay ſo, when thou commeſt before the Lord, and heareſt the Word, I am here to heare all the Lord will ſay? Beloved I wiſh it were ſo; but I ſeare that of all the People in England, there are many in this Cittie that, it may be, are good People abundance of them, and yet we are willing to learne nothing in the world but what we like; and we crumble the bread of our ſalvation, as children doe their bread and butter, who eate one bit themſelves, and throw the reſt to the dogs. So many proud carnall ſprits take a part of the word, and they ſay that was a good note of Maſter ſuch a ones, and ſuch a ones, and (ſo you call mens words) and that was a good doctrine, and pick out this, and that, and goe, and tell it. I never ſaw, nor I thinke never any under the Cope of Heaven, ſuch ſpirits, that doe ſo baſly mince the Word of God, and crumble it; and take one piece, and throw two away. Therefore looke to that; an honeſt heart will heare all that the Lord will ſay, and be glad too; that is one thing.
A ſecond thing is this; a proud carnall heart 2. A proud heart makes cavils againſt the truth.that is not truly humbled, it will appeare by this, that if he cannot chooſe but know the truths of God; as many times he cannot but he muſt know it, if he live under the word, God will make ſome men know it, whether they will or no: then the next worke of a proud heart will be, to raiſe up cavils againſt the word, and to make Pleas againſt the truth of God, and arguments as much as may be when it comes in unto him. Juſt (as one man ſaith) as we doe with a common enemy: it we can, we will keep him out of the country, and it is ſafeſt to doe ſo: So, he will keepe out the truth if he can: but if the truth come, and he begin to ſee it, and ſees that it is the will of God; then his next courſe is to levy forces, to raiſe armes, and thinks to put it out, he thinks to put out the light that God hath put into his ſoule 2 …m. 3. 8. Men of corrupt minds, men of rotten minds, that like Jannes, and Jambres reſiſt the truth. There is no mention of Jannes and …ambres in the Old Teſtament, but it is generally thought by learned men, that the meaning is this. When Moſes came to Pharaoh at any time, to ſpeake of the things of God, and of the will of God, and that the People of Iſraell muſt goe free, and he did worke miracles, and that light came to Pharaoh to convince him, preſently he ſent for Jannes and Jambres, that were Southſayers, and made them help him, & get arguments againſt Moſes, and they would argue like Moſes, to keep out the truth: So carnall People, when light comes into the ſoule, and they cannot reſiſt it; this is their ordinary courſe to goe to their carnall neighbours like themſelves, or to a carnall Prieſt, or Miniſter if they have any, and get as many arguments, as they can, and then they will ſay, the other was a Phancie, it is not right, it will not hold; and ſo never leave till they get it out of their coaſts, as the Gadarens dealt with Chriſt.
Thirdly, and laſtly; if he cannot doe this, if he 3. A proud heart will ſhift off Gods truths.cannot beat it out by violence; he will endeavour to eſcape the edge of the toole by ſome ſhift; he will uſe his wits, and goe to pollicy, and ſee if by any ſhift he can eſcape the power of the truth. If he cannot beat it off, he will labour to eſcape the power, and the edge of it. As a man that is in debt, that is under an execution, or an outlarie; if he can, he will keep far enough from the Sergeants, and if they come, he will ſhut his doore, and keepe them off; or if they come to take him, he will throw them off. But if they ſay, if you ſtirre, we will knock you down, or kill you: then he will ſay; why I meane to pay, and ſuch a man knows it, and he will give them faire words, that ſo he may avoid the power, and authority of the Law from comming upon him: So carnall men deſire to be ignorant of thoſe truths; that all their life time are contrary to them: and if truths come in upon them, they conſult with all their carnall Neighbours, and friends to get it out: and if all will not doe, then they goe to their ſhifts.
As for inſtance, ſuppoſe a truth ſhould come upon one of your ſoules, that thou that art a drunkard, or a whoremonger, &c. unleſſe thou be borne againe, thou ſhalt never enter into heaven, and this truth hath ſeized on thee, and God hath ſet it on thy ſoule, that a man cannot get it out; and then he goes to his ſhifts, he ſaith it is true, I muſt be borne againe, or elſe I ſhall be damned: but ſaith he, I hope I was borne againe in baptiſme; and I hope that was a waſhing away of my ſins. And ſo put it on another; it may be this truth comes into his ſoule, that every man that lives in any knowne ſinne ſhall be caſt out of the Kingdome of God, and of Chriſt. 1 Cor. 6. Know ye not that neither Drunkards nor Swearers, nor revilers, nor extortiouers, ſhall inherit the Kingdome of God, and of Chriſt. Suppoſe God ſet this truth home to thy ſoule. It is true ſaith the man; but I hope God hath given me repentance for it, and all is well. He hopes God hath given him repentance, and he goes on in ſinne; then God comes, and tells him, that if he had repented, he would leave his ſinns, and amend his courſe, then ſaith he, I hope I ſhall repent hereafter, I ſhall repent ſometime, or other, though I do not now.
If God tell him againe, the day of ſalvation will be paſt, and the doore will be ſhut, and repentance will come too late: then he ſhifts it off, and ſaith, I hope I doe repent with all my heart, and with all my ſoule.
But if God ſay, if you did repent, then you would leave all your ſins. He will ſay, good Lord, is there any man in the world without ſinne? and ſo it is endleſſe the ſhifts, and tricks, and quillets whereby a man, when he is Arreſted by the truth all his life, would avoyd the edge, and power of the truth.
Now let us come to our owne ſoules, you, and I, and ſee how it is with us, in reſpect of all the bleſſed truths of God that are in this booke.
Are you willing, and deſirous to know them, though they bring perſecution? And when a truth hath come, that hath been croſſe to you, have you not taken Armes againſt it, or contended with it; as the Scripture ſpeaks of thoſe that obey not the truth, but ſtrive againſt it. It is not ſaid, thoſe that contend with their Neighbours, but thoſe that contend with the truth.
And ſo, have you not uſed ſhifts?
What a world of endleſſe ſhifts have men againſt plaine truthes?
There is no Drunkard, nor Swearer, but he knows that if he live in that ſinne, he ſhall be damned; and he cannot deny but that he is a Drunkard, or a Swearer, or it may be a Whoremonger, and yet you may talke with him two, or three houres, and he will goe from this to that, and he hopes this, and that, and you ſhall never have him let the edge of truth come to him.
Thirdly, and laſtly, and ſo I have done. I have ſhewed you how you may know you are humbled, by your carriage, and deportment of your ſoules in reſpect of Gods juſtifying grace.
And ſecondly, how to conſider of your conſtant temper, and carriage of your ſoules to the truths of God, to the will of God revealed to you,3. By our carriage to Gods commands.
Now thirdly, conſider the carriage of your ſouls, in reſpect of the injunctions, or commands of God that are layd upon you; the nature and property of a heart truly humbled by ſeeing of God in Jeſus Chriſt is this: to be willing to obey God in any thing that God layes upon him, juſt as we ſee it was with Paul, Acts 9. When he was humbled by ſeeing of God, he cryes out, ſaith he, Lord what wilt thou have me to doe? As if he had ſayd, I could have indented with thee formerly, whether I ſhould doe this, or that; and I would doe what I pleaſe, and when I pleaſed; but now Lord, What wilt thou have me to doe? Whatſoever it is, it ſhall be all one, only ſhew me what it is, and I will obey it. And then he bids him goe, and have his eyes opened; and then he muſt Preach, and then he muſt be Perſecuted, and then he muſt goe into a Ship, and be carried a Priſoner a great way by ſea; and there Souldiers were like to kill him; and then the ſhip muſt be ſplit, and yet Paul was content. Lord what wilt thou have me to doe? he followed God in every thing; ſo in Luke 3. 10. 11. When John Baptiſt did come and teach the will of God; the people they cried, What ſhall we doe? and the Publicans, VVhat ſhall we doe? and the Souldiers, and what ſhall we doe? This is the diſpoſition of a heart that is humbled, he deſires to know what the will, and what the command of God is, and he yeilds obedience to it.
Now on the other ſide, it is not ſo with carnall Proud hearts diſobey Gods commands.proud people; they are like thoſe in Pſal. 12. 4. Our tongues are our owne we ought to ſpeake, what Lord ſhall controll us? We will ſpeake what we liſt, and doe what we pleaſe; we will goe our owne wayes, and doe that which is right in our owne eyes. As they ſay in Jer. 2, 31. We are Lords, and we will come no more unto thee; We are Lords, and we will goe our owne wayes. Beloved: every carnall man in the World though he think there is a God; yet he thinks he was borne, and brought into the World to doe his owne will, and to pleaſe himſelfe: therefore as far as the will of God ſuits to that, he will doe it: but otherwiſe that is the maine ſtreame of his life to doe his owne will. Now as I told you in the former, ſo in this, there are three tempers in the heart of a carnall man, concerning Gods commands, that are contrary to the temper, and poſture of a gratious heart that is truely humbled.
The firſt thing that we finde in the word, and by 1. A proud heart ſoone weary of Gods commands.experience, is. That when the Lord lays a command upon a man that is not truely humbled, it may be he doth not reſiſt preſently, but he will be ſoon wearie, and tyred, and that is a baſe thing, he will be jaded under it; It may be at the firſt he will not fight againſt it, as ſome do, but he wil ſoon be jaded, he will ſoon be tired. There is many a man, and many a woman, that have taken pleaſure in the will of God, and in the commands of God in former time, and have gloryed, and rejoyced in it: but now they begin to be wearie, and to be jaded like tyred horſes, they are paſt their beſt, they have no heart to it. I feare it is ſo with too many of you. Like the people in Mal. 1. 13. The Lord bids them to offer ſacrifice, and they ſay, Behold what a wearineſſe it is, and they ſnuffed at it, and they brought that which was torne; and lame, and ſick. So you need not wonder that God hath a quarrell with you when you ſay, what a wearineſſe is it to ſerve him; what a wearineſſe, and tedious thing it is to hear the Preacher thus all day long: and to be praying, and hearing all the week; what an endleſſe thing it is to begin again to morrow, and next day, and every day: and you ſnuffe at it, and you are ready to loath it. This is the diſpoſition of a heart that God hath not truely humbled, that hath never ſeen the face of God in Jeſus Chriſt. Looke in Rom. 1. The people that God layd thoſe ſpirituall judgements upon, to give them up to all uncleanneſſe, to commit filthineſſe man with man; what was the reaſon of all this? One was, becauſe when they knew God, they did not glorifie him as God: they had ſome knowledge, but they did not improve it. Another was, they did reſiſt the truth, they did levie forces againſt it: and they liked not to retaine the knowledge of God. They had a little knowledge of God, and that galled them, becauſe their practice was contrary, therefore they liked not to retaine that knowledge; they had no liking to keep that little knowledge of God; they wiſhed as Calvin ſayth, every wicked man in the World wiſheth that he were wholly Ignorant of God, for his knowledge doth but onelyonly imhitter him, and trouble him in his way. That is the firſt thing.
Secondly, He is not onelyonly wearie of it, and if he 2. He layes violent hands on Gods commands.can he will be rid of it ſo: but he will lay violent hands upon the commands of God. There is a terrible word in Rom. 1. 18. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven, againſt thoſe that hold the truth in unrighteouſneſſe. The word in the Greek is, thoſe that Impriſon the truth: There was truth came to them, and they held it till they were wearie, till they were tyred, and jaded: but then they locked it up, and would not ſuffer it to break forth in their lives, but lived as if there were no light at all in them. There is ſome kind of light in them, but it is in Priſon, you cannot ſee it, and you would think there were none at all, like thoſe people in … Sam. 8. 19. When God had ſaid they ſhould have no King but him: but ſay they, we will have a King, and ſo they goe violently, and deſperately againſt the command of God. Thus is it with a carnall proud heart.
Thirdly, and laſtly, it may be ſome men will 3. Proud hearts obey Gods commands, but upon their owne tearmes.not doe ſo with the commands of God, but they will obey them, but it ſhall be onelyonly upon their owne termes; they were as good doe nothing.
As for inſtance, he will obey, firſt by ſits, and 1. When they pleaſe.when he is at leaſure. As it may be, you have ſeen a proud ſervant that will worke well ſometimes; but he is ſo ſturdie that he will doe nothing but what he pleaſeth: and if the humour take him he will goe to the Shop, or elſe it may be he will Walk at his pleaſure two or three dayes together; you cannot build on it. So carnall unhumbled hearts, when they are in the humour they will obey the commands of God; but it is but for a fit. Now a right Chriſtian, is holy alway, according to the grace God hath given him, he is alway ready to obey the commands of God.
Secondly, a proud unhumbled heart, as he will obey 2. What they pleaſe.but at ſometimes; ſo he will obey but in ſome things; he will pick and chooſe in the commandements and ſervice of God, what he pleaſeth. That is the manner of proud Servants, they will worke ſometimes, but if a man bid them doe one thing, they will doe another, a man were as good be without them. Such a Servant will be wiſer in his owne eyes then his Maſter. It may be he will doe his Maſters work, and his Maſter cannot ſay but that he is a diligent ſervant, but he will doe but what he liſts, and he will doe it but in his owne way; and if his Maſter bid him doe one thing he will doe another. So it is with a carnall man, when God bids him doe any thing, he will doe ſomewhat, and let his Neighbours doe the reſt if they will. But now an honeſt heart, whatſoever God commands, without reſpect to this or that, be it what it will be, if the Lord command it, he will endeavour to obey him.
Thirdly, and laſtly, as they will obey God at 3. When God gives them rewards.their owne leaſure, and obey him in thoſe things that they pleaſe: ſo they will doe it if God follow them with a reward. As for inſtance. You may obſerve many a proud hearted man, Miniſter, or others, as long as God hath given them credit enough, and riches enough, they will doe the worke of God bravely: but take away that, and they will doe nothing at all. Therefore if God will let credit, and riches goe alwayes with Religion, he ſhal have Servants enough, and proud ones too. But now a humble Chriſtian he values the love of God, more then the things themſelves; and let theſe things come or goe, his eye is upon God, and his love is ſuch to God, and he ſees that God loves him ſo, that he will endeavour to obey God in all things, whether he be rewarded or no. Now theſe be the diſpoſitions of carnall unhumbled hearts; you may examine your owne hearts by theſe three things. By your carriage towards God in reſpect of his juſtifying grace; By your carriage towards God in reſpect of his truths revealed to you; And be your carriage towards God in reſpect of his injunctions, and commands that he layes on you. If you examine, and finde that your hearts are not humbled, you know what to doe, deſire God to ſhew himſelfe more, and as you ſee him more, ſo you will be humbled more; for the right ſeeing of God in Jeſus Chriſt is the true and ready way to humiliation.